The negligence and wrongful death lawsuit filed in Bridgeport Superior Court December 13 by a survivor and the families of nine of the 26 people killed two years ago at Sandy Hook Elementary School hopes to move the discussion of guns and gun violence away from the politically charged precincts of legislative hearings, social media and other freewheeling forums (yes, editorials too) into the more ordered setting of a court room.

BRIDGEPORT — The estates of nine of 26 people who were killed and one teacher who was injured in the December 14, 2012, shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School are the plaintiffs in a negligence and wrongful death lawsuit lodged against the manufacturer, the distributor, and the seller of the semiautomatic Bushmaster AR-15 rifle, which a 20-year-old gunman used in the murders.

Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder, PC, of Bridgeport filed the lawsuit December 15 in Bridgeport Superior Court. The court return date for the defendants is February 3.

Should I have been surprised by the statement in Stephen Sanetti's letter “NSSF On The Leno Cancellation” – “...nor are we unfamiliar with the bullying political tactics of the gun control groups....” Is that not the pot calling the kettle black?!

In his 11/25/14 letter, “NSSF on the Leno Cancellation,” Steve Sanetti—president and CEO of the National Shooting Sports Foundation—decries the “bullying tactics” of the Newtown Action Alliance in depriving his organization’s members of their “First Amendment” right to the entertainment of their choice.

When entertainer Jay Leno chose to back out of his commitment to appear at our industry trade show, the National Shooting Sports Foundation posted the following statement at NSSF.org so news outlets could include our view of the matter in its stories. We wish The Bee had reached out to us or checked our website for comment to balance the story it printed (“In Response to Petition, Nov. 20”). Instead, readers saw only a one-sided press release issued by anti-gun lobbying groups.

Last week, Dan Carter, State Representative of Bethel, Danbury, Newtown and Redding, tweeted that the Newtown Action Alliance (NAA) and Connecticut Against Gun Violence (CAGV) along with the National Rifle Association (NRA) are responsible for gun deaths in our nation. He tweeted “Both sides are against reasonable solutions, so they are all responsible for gun deaths – NRA, NAA, CAGV.”

The “vote” in Connecticut this Election Day, represents more than a choice between parties, policies, and/or personalities. The focus most is guns, rifles and ammo. Those who stand tall living in a state with bipartisan gun control laws, are on one side of the issue. Those who stand tall in support of repeal of Connecticut's gun control laws, are on one side of the issue. In a true sense, there is no other issue for Connecticut, and certainly not for Newtown, on November 4th.